


Secret Admirer

by VidalsQueen



Series: HZD Prompts [5]
Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Crushes, F/M, Secret Admirer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-29 02:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19820959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VidalsQueen/pseuds/VidalsQueen
Summary: Aloy has been finding strange notes among her belongings. She doesn't pay them much mind until a thief runs off with her coin purse.





	Secret Admirer

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the prompt, secret admirer. Many nods to Seeker of the Nora.

Aloy delved through her pack, looking for the Glinthawk lens she had removed earlier that morning. She needed to upgrade her armor. With all of the new machines she’d been facing, her light equipment just wasn’t holding up. It offered little protection around her midsection as it was. But it was still the most comfortable armor for the Carja Sundom’s heat.

As she dug, her fingers found a piece of parchment. Odd, she thought. Parchment wasn’t something she held onto and it wasn’t a common thing found on her journeys. Yes, she came across letters and journals but she generally just cataloged them in her focus and moved on.

She lifted the parchment from her pack surprised to see that it was still in relatively good condition. Amongst the shards and lenses she carried, she would have thought something like that wouldn’t survive. Unfolding it, she was confused to see a letter addressed to her and signed, your secret admirer.

Confusion settled around her. This was the third time she’d received something like this. Notes tucked into or near her things. They were always so vague and always signed the same way.

The words made sense and didn’t.

Aloy, Huntress. You wield a bow and spear, unlike anyone I have ever met. Your prowess is unmatched. How I wish you would hunt my heart, my mind, my soul, my body. Your Secret Admirer.

Why would anyone want her to hunt them? Did they have a death wish? And how did you go about hunting a heart? She knew a well-placed arrow through the heart would do the trick for execution but that didn’t seem to be what this person was after. She decided not to dwell on it, instead, she crumbled the parchment and threw it into the nearest fire.

Digging through her pack once more, she located the Glinthawk lens and made her way to the nearest Merchant. The stalls were packed today. People from all over the Sundom were out in full force. The weather was nice, not too hot and Aloy had come to realize on days like this, the people flocked to the shops and bakeries. It seemed that the mild weather called them out of their respective homes like a Banuk to a machine’s song. She had grown accustomed to the crowds over her short stays in the city. The noise levels no longer hurt her ears and the smells no longer overwhelmed her, but on its busier days, her anxiety over these situations returned. It was mild, no longer the heart racing, palms sweating, stomach churning episodes of before but it still made her want to push people out of the way, to find a quiet space within the hubbub.

The Merchant she always visited in the lower city was a sweet woman, always kind, courteous and it was probably why Aloy preferred coming to her instead of the pushy people near the Palace. They chatted for a few minutes before she made her purchase, talking about her recent travels and delves, and about how she had obtained the Glinthawk lens. She told the Merchant about the thief in Brightside and how she chased him all through the valley before being forced to take out an entire flock to save the man’s life. They jested about the irony of saving the thief. A man like that would have had it coming to him, she’d said and Aloy partially agreed. Aloy didn’t like the idea of throwing any life away. She would rather give people a chance to change their ways and seek a better life, given the right opportunity.

After leaving the Merchant, Aloy made her way to her favorite bakery, the one Erend had introduced her to and knew how to make coffee the way she liked it. She had a few extra shards and wanted to treat herself. It wasn’t every day that she was able to do such things unless Avad was hanging around.

As she stepped up to the counter, ready to place her order, the baker handed her a coffee and a sticky bun. She knew she frequented the place but not enough for them to remember her, or so she thought. She kept forgetting how recognizable she was with her copper hair and her sage green eyes. Plus, she’d saved their King and their city. She reached into her shard purse for the monetary exchange.

“No need, Aloy. Someone has already paid for you today.” The Baker smiled and handed her the steaming mug.

Aloy shook her head. Of course, Avad knew she was in the city, or it could have been Erend when he made his rounds that morning. They knew she didn’t usually waste her coin on frivolous things but these treats had become somewhat of a weakness for her. She didn’t like admitting that. She’d rather people didn’t know there was something they could tempt her with or lure her with. But she was grateful to her boys for always taking care of her.

She sat with her mug and her sticky bun, overlooking the plains and mesas of the Sundom and thought about her next adventure. She wasn’t quite sure where she was going next but she had a few places in mind. There were still people and things to track down, Tallnecks she hadn’t had the opportunity to override and her overall mission to push towards.

………………………………………………………………………………….

A few days later she returned to Meridian. This time her body was a little worse for wear. She’d taken down the Eclipse network at great cost to her own health. The fall from the bridge was one of the worst experiences she’d had and only Nil’s gentle persuasion to stay rested and healthy had her feeling as well as she did. She didn’t like relying on anyone, yet, it seemed he was always there. Nil the nursemaid. He was an unlikely caregiver but was always there to care for her. First, after the Deathbringer, then after her bout with dehydration and now. She still didn’t know how she had talked him into going after Nakoa after the Deathbringer. He had wanted her to rest and he was more than willing to show her tough love when he was adamant about something.

However, he was still unwilling to follow her into the city, so she had a small reprieve from his administrations for the time being. While she felt fine, if she moved in a certain direction, or tried to wield her spear, she could feel the tightness in her back and the ache in her shoulder would return. But she had promised to take it easy. She only needed to resupply and to return to the Merchant who had asked her to find what she was convinced were mugs, but he thought differently. She was just as enamored with the finds she made of the Old Ones but some people wanted to believe that all of the items left behind held some great significance. Did people not understand that they were, in a lot of ways, just like them? They led normal lives, too.

She handed over the earthenware to the Merchant and was a little irritated when his “prize” wasn’t as significant as he’d promised. The modification coils were useless to her. She supposed they were still worth shards. That was something.

Next, she went to visit the Hunter’s Lodge and drop off her latest round of trophies. Ligan greeted her at the door and she spoke to him for a moment before looking around for Talanah. She didn’t really want to speak to the Sun-Hawk by herself. He was a complete ass. But when she didn’t see the girl, she begrudgingly made her way upstairs. As she handed over the trophies, she caught whispers of people talking about Redmaw. She knew that one day she and Talanah would probably have to face the beast but she was in no condition to do so. It would have to wait.

Leaving the Lodge, she decided it best to resupply quickly and make her way back to camp. She knew she could probably go to the Palace and enjoy the baths but she really didn’t want to keep Nil waiting. He always grew restless when she took too long and knowing she was still injured would only add to his anxiety.

So she made her way to the Lower City and was just about to approach her favorite Merchant when her purse was snatched.

She sighed, not quick to pick up the trail. She didn’t feel like running. She didn’t feel like chasing someone that wasn’t Eclipse or wanted her dead. But then she noticed the small piece of parchment on the ground at her feet. She bent down to pick it up. It was the same weight and texture of the parchment found in her pack a few days ago.

This time the letter read, “Catch me if you can, Huntress.”

What was his game? Did he want so badly to die that he would steal from the one person guaranteed to bring him a swift end? She couldn’t help but think there were easier ways to go about this. She knew people attempted suicide with poisons and ropes, with knives even. But he had said he wished to be her prey. Did he want the thrill of the chase before his peril? Did he think going out in a glorious fight against her would somehow make the experience more… she didn’t even know how to complete that thought. More what?

Almost lazily, she flipped on her focus and found the track the man had left in his wake. Did she really want to pursue this? She could easily go kill more machines and gain the coin she’d lost within days, or she could if she was at full strength. She was good at stripping hearts and lenses. Those always brought her profit.

Finally, she decided to go ahead and give chase. She needed some supplies and she didn’t want to ask Nil to do her hunting for her. And, if she had been able the past few days, they wouldn't be running so low on wire. That was another thing that seemed to irritate her more in the moment than in actuality, sharing her inventory with a hunter with the same skill set. They wouldn’t be running low on wire if she didn’t have to split her findings between the two of them. But she also didn’t want Nil to be at a disadvantage and had taught him how to make the arrows she preferred.

So, she needed the shards and followed the trail. She didn’t run and give chase like the man seemed to want. It just wasn’t in her to make this into an actual hunt. Really, she just wanted to rest. She could feel the aches in her body now and knew her earlier decision to return to camp was the right one. But no, she was on the trail of some idiot who thought to best her.

Rounding the corner, where the trail ended, Aloy was again confused. It led to a small cabin on the outer reaches of Brightmarket. With her slow pace, the sun was setting but she was sure her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her and she was not dehydrated again. Yet, the sight before her was not what she anticipated finding.

The cabin’s door was open. Candles were lit, dinner was laid out in preparation for something almost elegant looking and there was a man, dressed in Carja finery holding a handful of wildflowers. This didn’t seem right. How could a man who had just run off with her coin purse be preparing for a date?

She approached the cabin slowly; unsure if the thief lie in wait, using this scene as a means to stop Aloy from attacking. But as she came closer, the man with the flowers stood and approached her.

“Ahh, Huntress. You have finally come to me.” His voice was slick and oily. It felt as if he were trying to grease her like a machine. The Carja nobles tended to speak like that, thinking with their sugary words and keen tongues they could have anything they wanted.

“Well, you did run off with my money and I need to buy some things before I head back out.” She still didn’t understand what was happening. This was likely the weirdest thing she’d been a part of. She didn’t know this man, yet he spoke to her as if this was an anticipated thing, something they had planned to do.

“I had tried getting your attention in other ways but you could never step away from your duties for too long.” He smiled sweetly.

Aloy’s confusion rose. She had no idea what this man was talking about. He had tried to get her attention? Her duties? She had no duties within the city. She was not one of Avad’s guard or a part of the Vanguard. She served only herself. And she still had no idea who the man standing in front of her was.

“My lady…”

“I am not a lady,” Aloy said quickly. First he wanted to insinuate that she was an employee of their King. Now, he wanted to flip that statement and insinuate she was of Avad’s court? This conversation was beginning to irritate her.

“Aloy, have you not received my letters? Found the notes I have tried to leave for you? Received my gifts of gratitude?” His smile remained, unsettling the huntress in so many ways.

She couldn’t believe her ears. This man had thought to win her over by making her chase him from the Lower City to Brightmarket? And what letters? Any letter addressed to her would be taken to the Palace or Erend’s place and she hadn’t been to either in weeks. But the notes, she remembered the notes. And gifts? All she could recall was the coffee and pastry that had already been paid for. She had assumed it was either Avad or Erend who had done that.

“Those weird notes, you’re doing?”

He nodded, still smiling.

Aloy shook her head. A giggle close to releasing. Was he serious? Did he really think that this would win her over? Did he honestly assume that she would put the pieces together and come to him willing and wanting?

“Listen, just give me my purse back and I will be on my way.” She held her hand out to him waiting.

He closed the distance between them and took her hand. Bringing it to his lips he brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “Just come have dinner with me and I will gladly give you your purse.”

Tugging her hand away from his, she gripped her spear. “Give me back my purse. You’ve wasted enough of my time.” She had thought the show of aggression would be enough to thwart the man’s attempts but it only seemed to ignite something within him.

“So full of fire, like the flames of your hair. I promise if you give me the chance I will let you unleash that fire upon me, burn me with your passions.”

Stunned, Aloy turned to walk away. She didn’t need this and she certainly didn’t need another lover. Her purse wasn’t worth going through with whatever this guy's plans were for her.

She had only made it a few feet before the man called to her. “We will meet again, Huntress.”

He tossed her purse to her and she caught it, a twinge of pain shooting up her arm at the quick movement. She didn’t respond. She didn’t need to, for the man had sauntered up to his cabin and closed the door.


End file.
